NYU Lutheran has revamped its emergency medicine services to better serve young patients in Brooklyn.

The newly implemented emergency department care model at NYU Lutheran Medical Center has introduced a new model of care to improve efficiency and provide a better patient experience. Highly trained emergency medicine clinicians now work in teams—known as “pods”—to provide this an enhanced level of care delivery. Designated pods of specially trained pediatric clinicians work in a centralized, collaborative environment focused on safety, quality, and comfort for young patients and their families.

“When parents have to bring their children to the emergency department, it can be extremely stressful for all of them,” says Robert J. Femia, MD, chair of the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, and who also oversees emergency medicine at NYU Lutheran. “We understand that, and want their experience with us to be as positive as possible. The emergency department also serves as an important gateway for families to the entire spectrum of care at NYU Lutheran. That is why we have taken important steps to create an appropriate emergency room environment in which we can address the specific and special needs of pediatric patients and their families.”

“We are seeing more and more pediatric patients in the NYU Lutheran Emergency Department,” says Elizabeth J. Haines, DO, director of pediatric emergency medicine at NYU Lutheran. “We want to ensure that when families bring their children, adolescents, and young adults here, they will get the most attentive care. This requires our caregivers to know how to meet their particular needs and to work collaboratively to address them.”

The reallocation of space within the emergency department has created a separate area for children and their families, featuring five private rooms. Doctors, nurses, and support staff working in this area are trained to effectively communicate medical conditions, testing, and treatment plans to pediatric patients, their families, and their outpatient pediatricians. The aesthetics of the unit also have been designed to have a more calming, stress-reducing effect.

All five private rooms also are equipped for critical care, including the latest technology to dispense medications by nebulizer for patients with asthma and other respiratory disorders. The department also employs certified child life specialists who help with case management, follow-up care, and other special needs. To accommodate the cultural diversity of Brooklyn, comprehensive language services are available in Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Russian, and more.

“Sunset Park and nearby communities deserve the very best in emergency care—and NYU Lutheran is taking important steps forward to address this,” says Nicholas Gavin, MD, chief of service of the NYU Lutheran Emergency Department. “We’ve redesigned how we provide care—from pediatrics all the way through emergent elder care. We want every person who turns to us for help to have a better experience and a more rapid road to diagnosis and treatment. We hope they see the difference the moment they step through our doors.”